Hot-mill catcher



Mwh 17, 1931 D. BucclcoNE HOT MILL CATCHER Filed NOV. 30. 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet, l

March 17, 19351. D. BucclcoNE HOT MILL CATCHER 3o. 1927 s sheets-sheet, 2

Filed Nov.

March 17, 1931.

D. BucclcoNE 1,796,745

HOT MILL CATCHER Filed Nov. 30, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet. 3

[wezor: 94E/O 50cc/COME,

Patented Mar. 17, 1931 UITED DARIO BU'CCICONE, OF GARY, INDIANA., ASSIGNGF TO AMERIN SHEET AND TIN PLATE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, FENNSYLVANA, .di CORPOBATON 0F NEW 1' ERSEY HOT-MILL CATCHER.

Application led November 30, 1927.

This invention relates to hot mill catchers and has for its object the provision of a comparatively simple mechanical catcher Jfor hot mills which is under the controlof the roller.

Another object is to provide a catcher ot the class described which will be tree of cams, eccentrics, conveyer chains, automatic controls and other similar elements liable to wear and break and which would make the catcher unsatisfactory for the heavy and rough use to which it is subjected in the mill.

In the drawings- Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the improved catcher connected with a hot mill and in position to receive the sheets from the mill.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing the catcher in position to return a sheet over the mill to the mill operator.

Figure 4c is a similar view showing the catcher in position to deliver a finished sheet to a pile.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the letter A designates a hot mill hous ing in which are j ournaled the usual hot rolls 2 and 3.

The catcher is designated generally by the letter B and consists of a base portion 5 having an upwardly extending rearwardly in-A clined arm 6. A mast member having a base extension 7 is pivotally mounted on the base 5 at 8 and comprises a cylindrical hollow post 9 and a vertically movable solid cylindrical ost 10 telescopically mounted in the post 9. e post 10 is provided with a resilient sealing ring 12 adjacent its lower end, and the hollow post 9 has its lower end provided with an inwardly opening check-valve 13 adapted to admit air when the post 10 is moved upwardly in the post 9 and to close when the post 10 is permitted to move downwardly, thus forming an air cushion. LA valve 22a is provided for lregulating the exhaust of the air cushion.

The motor 1 6 is mounted on the base extension 7 of the mast. The armature'shaft 14 of the motor 16 is provided with anjvlsproeket 15. A shaft 17 is jonrnaled in bearir s on the hollow post9 and has a sprocket 18 secured on Serial lilo. 236,73*?.

one end thereof.. il drive chain 18a is trained over the sprockets 15 and 18.

A pair of drum members 19 and 2O are mounted for tree rotation on the shaft 17 and a pair of clutch members 21 and 22 are mounted on the shaft 17 for engaging` with the drums 19 and 20, respectively. Levers 23 and 2st are pivotally mounted on the post 9 and engaged with the clutch members 21 and 22, respectively, for moving' the clutch members into and out of operating connection with the drums 19 and 20. Magnets 25 and 26 are provided for attracting the levers 23 and 24, respecltively7 to move said levers into clutch engaging position.

A chain 27 has one end secured to the drum 19 and is trained over a swheave 28 journaled on a shaft 29 mounted in bearings 30 adjacent the top of the post 9. From the sheave 28 the chain 27 extends down through a slot or groove 31 in the post 10 and around a sheave 32; thence up the other .side of' the slot 3l and over a shcave -lf in the slot 31. From the sheave 33 the chain extends rearwardly through the slot 31 and is secured to the rear end 34 of the lower lever or arm 35 of a tongs, to be described.

The lever 85 is crank-shaped and is pivoted adjacent its crank point on a shaft 36. Due to its shape and length the tong portion of the lever 35 will normally be positioned withA its tong end extending vertical and its rear end portion 31 extending horizontal.`

The energizing circuits to the magnets 25 and 26 are adapted to be made and broken by pedal switches 38 and 38, respectively, operated by the operator or roller.

The drum 20 has one end of a chain 39 secured thereto and the other end of the chain is secured to the upper end of the arm 6 of the base, so that when desired to tilt the mast, consisting of posts 9 and 10 and their accompanying mechanism, rearwardly, it is only necessary to energize the magnet 26 and thereby operate the clutch 22 to cause rotation of the drum 20 which will take up the chain 39 and thereby pull the mast rearwardly.

The upper end of the post 10 is provided with an integral or fixed transverse head portion 40 having upturned ends 41.

A shaft 42 is journaled in the ends 41 of the head and an upper tong lever or arm 43 is secured thereto. A pair of stop members 44 are secured to the hot mill housing and a pair of levers 45 are Isecured to the shaft 42 and adapted to engage the stop members 44 when thev post 10 is elevated, and thereby rock the shaft 42 to raise the tong lever 43 to release the bar or sheets engaged thereby.

Two pairs of control levers 46-47 are provided, one pair on each side of the head 40.

Levers 46 have their rear ends pivotally secured to the head 4() and their forward ends pivotally secured to the lower ends of levers 47, which levers have their upper ends pivotally secured at 48 to a bracket 48a on the hot mill housing. The levers 46 and 47 have a combined length greater than ythe distance between points 48 and the extreme rearward tilted position of the mast.

Stops 49 are provided to limit the forward swinging position of the levers 47 and the levers 47 are of such length that the levers 46 extend atan angle when the post 10 is in either extreme position. When the post 10 is raised or lowered from one extreme position to the other the levers 46 are compelled to move through the horizontal and thereby such levers will compel the mast to tilt back about its pivotal connection 8 with the base 5.

A roller table segment 50 is secured to the post 10 adjacent its upper end to receive the bars or plates from between the tong levers when they have been rolled to finished length, and the mast has been tilted to rear or discharge position.

The post 10 is ladapted to be locked in both its lower and upper extreme positions. A

spring pressed lock pin 52 is mounted in a housing 53 secured to the post 9 and is adapted to move through an opening in the post 9 and enter a recess 54 in the post 10 to lock the post 10 in its lowermost position. A rock v ing lever 55/is mounted on the post 9 and has its lower end mounted in a recess in the pin 52. The lever 55 is adapted to be engaged by the rear end 34 of the lever 35 when the chain 27 is Wrapped on the drum 19, thereby rocking the lever 55 and releasing or withdrawing the pin 52.

A second spring pressed lock pin 56 is mounted in the post 10 adjacent its lower end and adapted to enter a recess 57 in the post 9 when the post 10 is extended to its uppereX- treme position. rock lever 58 is pivoted in a slot in the post 10 and has its lower end engaged in a recess in thepin 56 so that when said lever is rocked said pin will be reciprocated.

The upper end of the lever 58 extends outwardly beyond the posts v9 and 10 and is adapted to be engaged by the tong-lever 35 when said lever moves downwardly upon the release of the chain 27, thereby automatically rocking the lever 58 and withdrawing the pin Lasarte 56 from the recess 57 and releasing the post 10 for downward movement.

rlhe detailed operation of the catcher is as follows:

Assuming that the mast of the catcher is in its lower or starting position, the roller will pass a work-piece consisting of a bar or pack of plates, through the rolls 2 and 3 and as the work-piece passes through the rolls, the roller will operatethe switch 38 to close the circuit to the magnet 25, thus energizing the magnet 25 and attracting the lever 23, which lever will be rocked so as to move the clutch 21 into driving position and drive the drum 19. As the drum 19 rotates, the chain 27 will be taken up or wrapped on the drum 19, thereby pulling or rocking the lever 35 about the shaft 36 so as to cause its rear end 34 to engage the lever 55 and release the latch or lock pin 52 and simultaneously move the forward end of lthe tong lever 35 up into work engaging position. The rotation of the drum 19 will then be continued and as the chain 27 is taken up. by the drum 19, the post 10 will be elevated and since the work-piece is engaged between the tong-levers 35 and 43, the work-piece will also be elevated. As the post 10 is elevated, the lever 46 will fulcrum about its pivotal connection with the lever 47 and as the lever 46 is moved through the horizontal position, the mast will be forced to tilt rearwardly about the pivot-pin 8 so as to clear the work-piece and tong-arms or levers 35 and 43 over or past the upper roll 3 and then permit the mast to move forward again to vertical position by gravity, which forward movement will move the work-piece over onto the top roll 3 in position to be grasped by the opera-tor or roller.

When the vpost 10 is raised to the upper limit of its movement. the lock-pin 56 will automatically engage in the recess 57 in the post 9 and hold the post 10 stationary, and if the roller continues to hold the switch 38 in closed position, the clutch 21 will slip so as to prevent damage to the mechanism. After the post 10 has reached its upper position the roller will release the switch 38 and allow the switch to move into open position.

As the post 10 approaches its upper limit of movement the levers 45 will engage the stops 44 and rock the shaft 42 so as to raise the upper tong-lever 43 and release the workpiece so that the roller may grip it with his tongs and put it over to the rollers side of the mill for re-rolling.

lf or when the work-piece has been rolled to ni'shed size, after it has been elevated as above described, the roller will rock the switch 38a to close the circuit to the magnet 26 and thus attract the lever 24 which will move the clutch 22 into driving engagement with the drum 20. Rotation of the drum 20 will take up the chain or cable 39 and thereby tilt the mast rearwardly about the pivot-pin 8 and permit the finished work-piece to move by gravity rearwardlyover thetable segment 50 and form a pile of finished workpieces.

After the .vcrlrpiece has moved onto the pile, the operator will release thc switch 3S so that said switch will return to open position and fle-energize the magnet Q6, thereby permitting the clutch 22 to move out of en-l gagement with the drum 20, so that the mast of the catcher will be free to return to vcrtical position by gravity.

When the workpiece is removed by the roller and also after the work-piece is permitted to move rearwardly onto the pile and the mast is again in vertical position, the` switch 38 will he permitted to move into open position to break the circuit to the magnet 25 and thereby release the lever 23' which will permit the clutch 21 to move out ot engagement with the drum 19, so as to release said drum and allow the tong-arm or lever 35 and ost 10 to move into their lower positions by gravity. rlhe arm or lever will first drop into its vertical position and will strike the lever 58, thereby releasing the lock pin 56 and permitting the post l0 to be lowered by gravity. y

Vhile ll have shown one specific embodiment of my invention it will be understood that l do not Wish to be limited thereto since various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

l. A hot mill catcher comprising a vertically extensible mast means on said mast for catching and gripping the work-pieces passed through the mill, means for simultaneously extending said mast and tilting said mast rearwardly and forwardly to place the workpieces on the top roll of the mill, and means for causing said catching and gripping means to release the work pieces.

2. A hot mill catcher comprising a vertically extensible mast, means on said mast for catching and gripping the Work-pieces passed through the mill. means for extending said mast, and otherjY means independent of said extending meansfor tilting said mast rearwardly to permit the discharge of the workpieces by gravity.

3. A hot mill catcher comprising a vertically extensible mast a pair of tong-arms carried by said mast for catching and holding the work-pieces passed through said mill, one of said tong-arms being adapted to be n ormally'out of catching position, and means for moving said tong-arm into catching position and for extending said mast.

4. A hot mill catcher comprising. a vertically extensible mast means on said mast for catch?v ag and gripping the work-pieces passed throgh the mill, means for extending said mast, other means co-o erating with said last named means for rodling said mast rearwardly and forwardly so as to move said workpieces onto the top of the upper roll, and means for automatically releasing said catching and gripping means when said mast is extended.

5. A hot mill catcher comprising a base, a tubular post pivotally mounted on said base, a second post telescopically mounted in said rst named post, a pair ot tong-levers mounted on said second named post, one of said levers being crank-shaped and having a long material engaging arm and a short actuating arm, said crank-shaped tong-lever being pivoted on said second named post, and said material engaging arm being adapted to normally assume a position parallel with said posts while said short actuating arm normally assumes a position at right angles to said posts, and means for rocking said crank-shaped tong-lever into material engaging position.

6. A hot mill catcher comprising a base, a tubular post pivotally mounted on said base, a second post telescopically mounted in said first named post, a pair of tong-levers mounted on said second named post, one of said levers being crank-shaped and having a long material engaging arm and a short actuating arm said crank-shaped tong-lever being pivoted on said second named post, and said material engaging arm being adapted to normal ly assume a position parallel with said posts while saidlshort actuating arm normally assumes a position at right angles to said posts, means for rocking said cranlcshape-d tonglever into material engaging position and for elevating said second named post.

7 A hot mill catcher comprising a base, a tubular post pivotally mounted on saidbase1 a second post telescopically mounted in said iirst named post, a pair of tong-levers mounted on said second named post, one of said levers being crank-shaped and having a long material engaging arm and a short actuating arm, said crank-shaped tong-lever being pivoted on said second named post, and said material engaging arm being adapted to normally assume a position parallel with said posts while said short actuating arm normally assumes aposition at right angles to said posts, a llexible connecting member having one end secured to the free end of the short actuating arm of said crank-shaped tonglever, said connecting member being trained over a sheave adjacent the lower end of said second named post and having its other end secured to a take-up drum mounted on said iirst named post, whereby operation of said drum will take up said connecting member and cause said crank-shaped tong-lever to rock about its pivotal mounting into material engaging position and then will elevate said second named post.

8. A hot mill catcher comprising a base,

tubular post pivotally mounted on said base,

v a second post telescopically mounted in said first named post, a pair of tong-levers mounted on said second named post, one of said levers being crank-shaped and having a long material engaging arm and a short actuating arm, said crank-shaped tong-lever being pivoted on said second named post, and said material engaging arm being adapted to normally assume a position parallel with said posts while said short actuating arm normally assumes a position at right angles to said posts, a flexible connecting member having one end secured to the free end of the short actuating arm of said crank-shaped tong-lever, said connecting member being trained over a sheave adjacent the' lower end of said second named postl and having vits other end secured to a take-up drum mounted on said first named post whereby operation of said drum will take up said connecting member and cause said crank-shaped tonglever to rock about its pivotal mounting into material engaging position and then will elevate said second named post, and means for rocking said posts rearwardly and forwardly during the elevation of said second named post.

9. A hot mill catcher comprising a base, a tubular post pivotally mounted on said base, a second post telescopically mounted in said first named post, a pair of tong-levers mounted on said second named post, one of said levers being crank-shaped and having a long material engaging arm and a short actuating arm, said crank-shaped tong-lever being pivoted on said second named post, and said material engaging arm being adapted to normally assume a' position parallel with said posts while said short actuating arm normally assumes a position at right angles to said posts, means for roeking said crank-shaped tong-lever into material engaging position and for elevating said second named post, a roller table segment on said second named post, and means for tilting said posts rearwardly to permit the work-pieces to move by gravity from between said tong-levers over said table and form a pile.

' 10. The combination with a hot mill composed of. the usual housing and rolls, of a mechanical catcher comprising a base,\a tubular post pivotally mounted on said base, a second post teleseopically mounted in said irst named post, a Apair of tong-levers mounted on said second named post and adapted to catch the material being rolled, one of said levers being crank-shaped and consisting of a long material engaging arm and a short actuating arm, said crank-shaped tong-lever being pivoted on said second named post, and said material engaging arm of said tong-lever being adapted to assume a position parallel with said posts, while said short acimams tuating arm normally assumes a position at right angles to said posts, a flexible connecting member having one end secured to the free end of the short actuating arm of said crank-shaped tong-lever, said connecting member being trained under a sheave adjacent the lower end of said second named post and having its other end secured to a take-up drum mounted on said first named post, whereby operation of said drum will take-up said connecting member and cause said crankshaped tong-lever to rock about its pivotal mounting into material catching position and then will elevate said second named post, and lever mechanism connecting said second named post and said mill housing for forcing said posts to tilt rearwardly during the elevation of said second named post so as to move the material clear of the upper roll of said mill.

n testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

DARIO BUCCLCNE. 

